What would Monterey Park's Measure HOM change?

What could Measure HOM change for Monterey Park buyers, sellers and owners of commercial or industrial property? It would create a framework for housing overlays in eligible commercial and industrial areas. Approval would not automatically apply an overlay to any parcel or approve a development.

As of October 21, 2026, Measure HOM is on the November 3, 2026 General Municipal Election ballot in Monterey Park. Results will be certified by the City Clerk after the election. Nothing in it takes effect unless voters approve it.

This is general information and not legal advice.

What would Measure HOM allow?

Measure HOM would amend the Land Use and Urban Design Element, called the LUE, to identify commercial and industrial areas where a HOME land use designation may be applied.

HOME stands for “Housing Overlay - Mixed Environments.” The City of Monterey Park’s HOM Ballot Measure page describes housing overlays that would allow residential and mixed-use development on vacant or underutilized commercial and industrial properties.

The distinction between an eligible area and an approved project matters. The measure would establish the land use framework and ratify a council-adopted map of eligible areas. Further regulations and an individual application would still be needed before development could proceed under a HOME overlay.

For another city’s overlay topic, you can also read about La Puente’s mixed-use overlay zone.

Why does this require a public vote?

A public vote is required because voters approved the LUE through Measure JJ, and the council cannot amend it without voter ratification.

The city’s ballot measure page explains that Measure JJ, passed in 2020, prevents the council from updating the city’s land use map without direct voter approval. The August 5, 2026 staff report says the HOME designation can therefore be created only by voters.

The council voted on August 5, 2026 to place the measure on the ballot, as described in its August 6 news release. On September 16, 2026, it adopted a resolution supporting Measure HOM, which Monterey Park Press (Hey SoCal) also reported.

Those council actions put the proposal before voters and recorded the council’s support. They did not make the proposed HOME designation effective.

Which properties would be eligible?

Eligible areas would consist of commercial and industrial areas, with established single-family and low-density residential zones excluded.

The staff report specifically gives R-1 and R-2 as examples of excluded zones. The city also says the measure does not increase density or otherwise affect zoning for Monterey Park neighborhoods.

For a property-specific check, start with the “maps of the HOME Housing Overlay Areas (PDF)” posted on the city’s HOM page. You can use those maps to check whether a commercial or industrial property near a home falls within an eligible area. Eligibility alone would not mean a project has been approved.

The sources do not provide parcel lists, proposed building heights, densities or unit counts for individual sites. Ask Community Development which map designation applies to the property you’re checking.

What would happen after voter approval?

Voter approval would put the LUE amendment and eligible-area map into effect, while implementing zoning regulations and individual project decisions would remain separate steps.

The staff report describes three layers:

1. Voters approve the HOME designation in the LUE and ratify the council-adopted land use policy map.
2. The council may adopt implementing regulations by ordinance, proposed as Chapter 21.46, the HOME Overlay Zone.
3. An owner or developer applies to activate the overlay on a parcel, requiring City Council development approval following a Planning Commission recommendation and public hearings.

Nothing requires the council to adopt the implementing regulations. If voters approve the measure, staff would return with those proposed regulations. Development under a HOME overlay could proceed only after their adoption.

Say an owner has a vacant commercial property in an eligible area and wants to develop townhomes. If voters approve Measure HOM, the owner would still need to wait for the council to adopt implementing zoning regulations before development could proceed under a HOME overlay. Once those regulations exist, the owner would need to apply to activate the overlay on the parcel. The proposal would go through public hearings and a Planning Commission recommendation before a City Council development decision. The council could still deny the project.

Even then, the council may deny an individual project where the map allows the overlay. If you’re comparing local land use proposals, the Baldwin Park Torch Street townhome rezoning article is another related Learn page.

Why did the city propose this framework?

The staff report connects the proposal to vacant and underused commercial and industrial properties and the city’s housing planning requirement.

It says those vacant and underused properties have grown since 2020, citing portions of Saturn Park that have been vacant for well over a decade. It also states that the city must plan for an additional 5,257 new housing units between 2021 and 2029. Staff mention townhomes and condominiums as examples of workforce housing.

Community input came through “Vacant to Vibrant” outreach in June and July 2026, including workshops, webinars and online forms. The council received the outreach summary on July 15, 2026.

The framework follows the city’s 2020 Business Recovery Development Agreement Zone, which activates overlay zoning through a discretionary development agreement. HOME would extend to commercial and industrial zones and focus on residential uses; the earlier framework was commercial only.

What standards and environmental review would apply?

The city says new developments would need to meet parking, traffic and environmental standards, with the proposed zoning regulations supplying those standards.

Its FAQ describes requirements for adequate parking, mitigating traffic impacts and environmental protections. Those standards are not yet written. They would come through the proposed Chapter 21.46 regulations.

If Measure HOM passes, adoption of the zoning regulations and any project approval would each be reviewed under CEQA at that time. Approval of the ballot measure would therefore leave later environmental review steps ahead.

The city also says Measure HOM has no impact on the data center ban adopted by voters through Measure NDC.

What should you check before buying or selling?

You can start with the city’s HOM page and maps, then check certified election results and any later zoning or parcel-specific hearings.

For a home sale or purchase, check whether nearby commercial or industrial property appears in an eligible area. Keep that map finding separate from any question about an actual application. Ask Community Development whether a parcel-specific application exists and what hearings would apply.

If you own commercial or industrial property, ask the office how activation would work once regulations exist. After the election, check certified results with the City Clerk. If approved, watch for Chapter 21.46 hearings and individual applications requiring Planning Commission and City Council hearings.

For another local planning topic, see the Lemon Grove Downtown Specific Plan article.

The short version

Measure HOM would create a housing overlay framework for eligible commercial and industrial areas, with later regulations and parcel-specific approvals still required.

If voters reject it, the LUE remains unchanged and no HOME designation is created. If they approve it, follow the proposed zoning ordinance and individual hearings to understand what may happen on a particular property.

You can also use the home value tool.